San Mateo Community College Federation of Teachers, AFT 1493

Minutes of
General Membership/Executive Committee Meeting

November 14, 2012, at Skyline College, Building 6, Room 6203

EC Members Present:

Eric Brenner, Masao Suzuki, Rebecca Webb, Sanda Everet, Michael Batchelder, Nina Floro, Joaquin Rivera, Victoria Clinton, Michelle Kern, Lin Bowie, Sandy Raeber-Dorset, Dan Kaplan, Teeka James, Katharine Harer, Sarah Powers, Lezlee Ware, Chip Chandler

Meeting commenced: 2:25 p.m.

1. Welcome and Introductions – Eric Brenner

2. AFT (non EC) members on Non-Agenda Items:   David Locke (physics at CSM) has notified the union that the new salary schedule is slightly off; Joaquin is following up.

3. *Minutes of October 10, 2012 AFT meeting:  Accepted as revised with 3 abstentions

4. Candidates for the 2013 BOT election (which might be postponed to 2015)  –  Lin Bowie and Rebecca Webb

a. Sanda Everett has union and teaching background. Co-chair of the state Green party. Member of San Mateo Food Systems Alliance. Co-founded San Mateo EcoVillage. Passionate about KCSM, horticulture, respect for teachers.

b. Michael Batchelder has limited teaching background but both parents were teachers. Pro-labor and pro-union. Background in renewable energy and IT. Interested in promoting district’s renewable energy goals. Also interested in employing technology to expand learning ops; Ed software and distance learning.

c. Both live in the city of San Mateo, probably in the same district.

d. Michael recognizes that top Democrats in the county are unlikely to endorse Greens. Advocates grassroots effort, reaching out to economically less-served constituents.

e. Sanda says that community activists would likely endorse Greens.

f. Dan and Lin point out that various constituencies are upset with recent board decisions.

g. Sanda points out that there are various Green school board members; need to focus on community needs rather than courting local politicians

h. By the end of the year we should know more about the date of district elections; Dan will follow up with status check.

5. *Calendar for AY 2013-14  – Joaquin Rivera

a. Note: The district academic senate is working on defining the number of days before final grades are due; working on defining “work day”

b. Moving flex days to the end of the semester seems like it would benefit faculty and students

c. Can we create a calendar that puts the flex days at the end of the semester (dead days for students)? Seems more student-centered.

d. Concern: we should make sure we get buy-in before making a major change like moving flex days to the end

e. Concern: putting flex days at the end of the semester means there will be a two-week lapse from final class to final exam for some evening students

f. Vote: we prefer the first option (3 of 6)

g. Vote: most agree with moving spring break to Mar 31-April 4

6. Workload survey: 12 people checked it out and many commented.  –  Teeka James

a. We want the info to be actionable; therefore, the ranges don’t have to speak to the outliers

b. Goal is finding out: 1) parity; 2) are we doing non-contractually required tasks; 3) to what extent are PTers interested in doing more if they were paid for the work?

c. Concerns:

i. Is it too long?

ii. Should we offer a reward?

iii. Would helpful hints help?

iv. We need to clarify employee classes (nurses, people with split roles)

v. The ranges shouldn’t overlap

vi. Getting more precise information would be more useful; the current ranges add up to too big of a range

vii. The range should go up to perhaps 40 to encompass lab

viii. “Contact time instructing students or assisting them”

ix. Change to allow the ability to select hours up to 70 rather than ranges

x. Make CORS writing a separate category for question 10

xi. Are you a Counselor?

xii. Are you a Librarian?

xiii. #28 is confusing. Yet many PT faculty . . . for which they may or may not be paid. (?)

xiv. #31 what percentage of your workload at your college . . .

xv. under FT faculty, #28 should have 1.5 FLCs; also “is allotted to” rather than ‘devoted to”

xvi. Check branching—the FT questionnaire went to the adjunct menu

xvii. #34 should be a bigger box to put in SLO work

xviii. FT instructors #14: should union work go there (re-assigned duties)?

xix. Michael Moynihan (Skyline sociologist) has experience developing surveys and might give helpful feedback

xx. Teeka wants all of us to take the survey and offer feedback

d. Teeka will revise and re-send for our completion and input.

7. PT parity campaign discussion (postponed) – Sandi Raeber-Dorsett and Vicky Clinton

• 8. *Appoint representatives to campus Safety Committees (postponed) – James/Chapter Chairs

9. Accreditation coalition update

a. Teeka and Dan participated in the conversation when Galatolo spoke with Marty H. and Carl Friedlander, exploring putting together a coalition, but few administrators are interested. Galatolo may meet with Martha Kantor, undersecretary of Ed in DC to discuss. Dan Kaplan

10. EC meetings and email: ongoing problem with lack of time/participation

a. Proposal: bi-monthly meetings some months (Sept-Oct and Feb-March); 2 extra meetings per semester

b. Same day and time

c. Approved

d. Dan and Teeka will propose dates, perhaps alternating weeks of the month EC

11. District Shared Governance Council report: status of our demands to negotiate board policies – Teeka James and Joaquin Rivera

a. there are several outstanding issues

b. Harry Joel inaccurately claims that the union is the hold-up

c. The district wanted to add two clauses; we think they should be negotiated. Indefinitely tabled.

d. But we want to move on this soon.

e. Academic freedom statement in the catalog doesn’t adequately protect faculty; we need to negotiate it along with other issues

f. HJ may be motivated but the county counsel may not agree

g. Teeka and Dan will propose a meeting with Harry Joel, to include Ron Galatolo, to discuss this.

h. Proposal: Advocate article on this issue for February

12. Academic freedom –  Joaquin Rivera

13. Performance Evaluation Task Force update – Lezlee Ware, Elizabeth Terzakis, Nina Floro

a. Lezlee and Elizabeth will be meeting with Canada faculty on Nov. 28th

b. The PETF group will meet on December 10th

c. CSM faculty lacks information

14. Grievance report: none Chip Chandler

15. San Mateo County Community Colleges Foundation request (update) – Teeka James, Lezlee Ware, Dan Kaplan, Michelle Kern

a. Tom Mohr didn’t return Teeka’s call; will try again.

16. Statements from EC members on Non- Agenda Items

There was a good discussion on the election tabling that took place at CSM and Skyline.

 

 

Meeting adjourned at 5 p.m.